Half to william w



(No Model.)-

A. U. NIOKLOY.

RAILROAD TIE.

No. 409,860. Patented'Aug. 2'7, 1889.

umwtoq/ M wd/tmamo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALDEN O. NICKLOY, OF GLOVERSVILLE, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TOVILLIAM IV. IVHITAKER, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILROAD-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,860, dated August27, 1889.

Application filed December 11, 1888. Serial No. 293,268. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALDEN O. NIGKLOY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gloversville, in the county of Fulton and State of New York,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Tics, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide what, for want of a bettername, maybe called an indestructible railroad-tie.

The invention relates to metallic ties, in which a certain amount ofelasticity exists or is provided for.

The invention consists of'a railway-tie constructed, by preference, ofsteeL- though other metal may be employed, and substantially in the formof a flattened coil, so as to possess transverse and longitudinalelasticity.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is aperspective view of a section of track. Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofone of the ties detached. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a tie, and Fig. 4is a longitudinal section of a tie with the rails attached.

The tie a, in the preferred form, is con; structed of plate-steel woundhelically about a mandrel and flattened to substantially the shape shownin the drawings; but any process of manufacture may be adopted in orderto obtain a metallic tie split or divided spirally throughout itslength. The divided edges may stand away from each other, or they may bein close contact. In any event a tie so constructed will yield in thedirection of its length to a very slight extent, but insuflicient-ly tospread the rails, and will also yield transversely in order to affordthe desirable cushioning effect in that direction. In this latterrespect the tie has all the advantages so highly prized in wood ties,but the tie is superior to a wood tie in its durability. The tie, beingpractically an arch, is not liable to be crushed under superposedweight.

and as aifording the largest possible bearingsurface for the rails.

Many different mediums may be employed for securing the rails to my tie.I have shown the tie as provided at each end with pairs of holes I), andthe bases 0 of the rails d are provided with corresponding holes throughwhich bolts 6 may be passed; and if bolts be used their heads may reston the upper surfaces of the bases of the rails and the nuts f bearranged within the ties, as shown at-the' righthand side of thedrawings, or the reverse arrangement may be employed, as shown at the1eft-hand side of the drawings. 'Of course other forms of fastenings maybe employed.

I do not claim, broadly, a metallic tie for railroads; neither do Iclaim an elastic metallic tie, for such ties, I am aware, are old.

\Vhat I claim is 1. Ametallic tie for railroads slitted spirally in thedirection of its length, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A metallic tie for railroads constructed of a tubular helix,substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A metallic tie for railroads constructed of a tube slitted spirallyin the direction of its length, and thereby adapted to yield longitudinally and transversely, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A tubular metallic tie for railroads slitted spirally in alongitudinal direction and having a flattened rail-receiving surface,substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto'set my hand this 10th day ofDecember, A. D. 1888.

ALDEN C. NIGKLOY.

lVitnesses:

AUGUST PIEPER, NELsoN I-I. ANIBAL.

